Jane Goodall, Ph.D, was a British primatologist, ethologist and anthropologist whose observations of chimpanzees in the wild and advocacy for their conservation made her a name to remember. She received her doctorate in ethology from the University of Cambridge in 1965. Goodall died Oct. 1 at 91 years old, leaving a lasting legacy behind.
Goodall’s start
Goodall created a name for herself at the age of 26 when she began researching chimpanzees and their lives in the jungle at Gombe National Park in Tanzania. What was different about Goodall’s work was that she watched and studied these animals in their natural habitats rather than in captivity, where most of the previous studies and knowledge of chimpanzees came from.
One of her most groundbreaking observations — the Gombe Chimpanzee War — took place at the Gombe National Park. This was a four-year conflict in which tensions grew between a community of chimpanzees, called the Kasekela community, leading to the group splitting into two. This was groundbreaking, as it was one of the first observed pieces of evidence that chimpanzees can form coalitions of their own and display territorial behavior similar to humans when in conflict.
Goodall had a connection with the chimpanzees. She described them like companions or colleagues and even assigned them names of their own. Many criticized her for this, saying chimpanzees should be given numbers instead of names, as names suggest they have individual personalities.
What she left behind
Goodall’s research not only transformed the knowledge of chimpanzees and their behaviors but also reshaped the understanding of the relationship between humans and animals. Her findings demonstrated how animals are capable of having complex emotions, intelligence and social bonds — traits very similar to humans.
In addition to her innovative research, Goodall was a passionate advocate for animal welfare and environmental conservation. Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, which continued her mission to advocate the protection of chimpanzees through education and research. She also established Roots and Shoots in 1991, which aims to encourage and educate youth on taking action for animals and the planet.
Goodall’s work aimed to inspire others to understand animals as thinking and feeling beings themselves.
“Let us develop respect for all living things,” Goodall said. “Let us try to replace violence and intolerance with understanding and compassion. And love.”